Type bar cushion for typewriting machines



Aug. 7, 1934. s. E. MILLER TYPE BAR CUSHION FOR TYPEWRITIIG- MACHINES Filed March 25, 1932 xif ifcr Patented Aug. 7, 1934 PATENT. OFFICE TYPE BAR CUSHION FOR HINES MAC Samuel Eugene Miller, Aurora,

L C Smith & Corona Typewriters, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey cuse, N. Y.,

TYPEWI QITING Ill., assignor to Syra- Application March 25, 1932, Serial No. 601,110

' 2 Claims.

The cushion device of the present invention, in the form particularly shown and described, is designed as an attachment for typewriters of the style known as the L C 'Smith typewriter, a1-

though the construction might, with slight modi-.

fication, be adapted for use in connection with other forms of typewriter so that it will be understood that the present invention is not limited for use in connection with typewriters of anyparticular style.

The cushion is intended to act as a spring stop for each of the type bars in order to soften the blow of the type upon the platen for the purpose of securing greater uniformity in the impact 01' the type and in the writing resulting therefrom.

The provision of such a device also serves to reduce wear on the platen by cushioning the blow so that the platen will not be struck with excessive violence and, in like manner, also, the life of the ribbon is prolonged by the provision of means for absorbing a portion of the blow of the type bar before it strikes the ribbon against the platen.

Furthermore, by the use of the present invention, a more heavily inked ribbon may be em- 5 ployed, since the invention includes means for adjustment of the stop to provide for light or heavy writing, as preferred, and the device of the present invention also tends to reduce noise and relieve the delicate mechanism of the type bars from strain due to an excessive impact of the type against the platen.

Further objects and details will appear from the description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Y Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the type bar guide in the form employed in an L C- Smith typewriter, with the spring cushion of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is a fragmentary view taken on line 2:: of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the upper portion of the type bar guide showing the relation of the type bar to the spring cushion and to the platen;

Fig. 4 is a 'front elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation thereof. 1 The cushion of the present invention is applied to the upper end of a type bar guide member 10 which occupies a central or medial position with respect to the type bar basket, so that as the head of each type bar swings upwardly to the common, medial or striking position, it will be guided by the upper .end of the guide member in delivering its blow. Fig. 3 shows meet the type bars 11 in striking position with respect to the platen 12, the ribbon, not shown, occupying the 1 usual position in front 01' the platen.

The guide member 10 comprises a head 13 which is supported at the upper end ofa pair of spaced legs or standards 14-14, and the headat its upper end is provided with a-notch or recess 15 through which the tail 16 of the type bar head 17 passes as the type bar head approaches the platen.

The guide head on its rear side is provided with a vertically extending recess 18 within which is located a plate 19 of tool steel which is likewise provided with a notch 20 at its upper end, registering with the notch 15 in the head, andthe extreme upper end of the plate 19, on either side of the notch 20, is carried forward in the form of overlying lips 21 which constitute the upper end portion of the guide head so that the parts subjected to wear during the striking operation of the type bars will be constituted of tool steel or like hard material.

The plate 19 is secured in position by means of screws 22-22 and the plate itself has has secured thereto a spring cushion 23 which more particularly forms the subject matter of the present invention. The spring cushion is in the form of a tongue, the upper end of which lies immediately behind the notch or recess in the upper end of the guide head, so that as the tail 16 of the type bar strikes through the notch it will contact the free end of the spring cushion which thus constitutes a spring. stop properly positioned to cushion the blow in such a way as to permit momentary striking contact of the blow against the platen. In order to more completely cushion the blow, it is desirable, though not essential, to provide the upper end of the spring tongue with a pad 24 of felt or similar soft material, which tends to further soften the blow and render it noiseless.

In order to properly adjust the position of the spring tongue in order to best regulate the force of the type blows, an adjusting screw 25 is entered through the guide head and projects through the spring tongue in position to move the free end thereof toward or from the guide head to secure the desired adjustment. The spring tongue is secured to the plate 19 by means of a rivet 26 or other suitable fastening.

As an alternate to the above construction, the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 ;may be employed, and in this case the construction of the guide head is similarin all respects to that heretofore described, but the cushion member is in the form in of a U-shaped plate 27 carried by a stem 28 tion to accommodate the type bars striking upwardly from different angles to the medial or printing position. The cushion is located below the notch 15 so that in this instance the tail 16 of the type bar head will strike freely through the notch but the shank of the type bar immediately below the head will encounter the cushion and be arrested at this point.

The cushion may be adjusted toward or from the platen by adjusting the guide member which is pivotally mounted on a bolt 31 extending through a boss 32 suitably sup-' ported, as for instance, by the conventional type bar segment 33, the bolt being entered through the lower ends of the legs 14. A second boss 34 extending outwardly from the type bar segment, or other fixed portion of the typewriter, is adaptedto support a threaded stem 35 which projects outwardly on one side in the form of -a handle 36, the outer end of which is located at a point convenient for the operator.

The handle, 36 carries a cam 37 which co-operates with a slot 38 in one of the legs 14, the other leg being provided with an arcuate slot 39 so that asthe cam is rotated the guide member is adjusted slightly in the desired direction about the bolt 31. The guide member is held in the desired position: of adjustment by a nut 40 in threaded connection with the stem 35 and adapted to bear against the outer face of the leg 14 to tightly clamp the same, against the boss 34. Preferably,

the nut is in the form of a long rod adapted to extend toa point near the side of the typewriter frame so that the operator may easily loosen the nut and thereafter turn the handle 36 to the desired point of adjustment, then finally tighten the nut. It will be understood that this form of adjustment is applicable to either form of cushion device but isparticularly adapted to the form shown-in. Figs. 4 and 5.

The form of construction first described is preferred in most cases, since the spring cushion occupies the medial position through which the tail, of each of the type bar heads must strike in delivering the blow, irrespective of the angularity of the type bar shank required in the arrangement of a setof type bars in basket formation. By locating the spring in this position, it will exert uniform spring action against each of the type bars and at the same time may be easily adjusted to secure the desired cushion effect. Furthermore, by locating the spring cushion in this position, a relatively small spring may be employed and so connected as to be incapable of twisting or distortion due to diversity in the points of contact of the several type bars composing the group.

The invention in either form of construction is one which may be readily secured to type bar guides of the character commonly used, without in any way altering the general structure of the machine, and at a minimum expense, and when employed in the manner described will materially improve the action of the typewriter.

1. In a cushion device ior typewriters having a platen and a group of type bars, the combination of an adjustable type bar guide 'member having a notch at its upper end and a recess in its rear face adjacent the notched end, the guide member occupying a medial striking position with respect to the group of type bars, a hardened plate having a notch in its end and secured within the recess in the guide member so that that each type bar will strike the springin deliverlng its blow against the platen, and an adjusting screw extending through the type bar guide member and plate and having its end adjacent the spring so as to adjust the same relative to'the plate.

2. In a cushion device for typewriters having a platen and a group of type bars, the combinationof an adjustable type bar guide member having a notch at its upper end and a recess in its rear face adjacent the notched end, the guide member occupying a medial striking position with respect to the group of type bars, a hardened plate havinga notch in its end andsecured Within the recess in the guide member so that the notches are in alignment, lips on the hardened plate on each side of the notch extending forwardly to overlie the adjacent ends of the type bar guide member providing a hardened guiding surface for the type bars, a spring secured to the plate and extending over the notch in the plate and in the path of the type bars, a pad of resilient material secured to the free end of the spring and normally contacting the plate and positioned to receive the impact of the type bar, and an adjusting screw extending through the type bar guide member and plate and having its end adjacent the spring so' as to adjust the same relative to the plate. I

S. EUGENE MILLER. 

